session of this height was desperately contested, but it remained in possession of the Russians. They were not, however, equally successful at the village of Eylau, from the church and church-yard of which they were expelled, after a most bloody encounter, which did not terminate until ten at night. Napoleon then made his disposition for the morrow; according to which, the Russian army were to be outflanked on both wings, while the corps of Davoust was to penetrate into their rear.

The battle began at day-break, on the 8th February, by a renewed attack on the eminence, which the Russians so gallantly defended the preceding day. Of this eminence the French finally obtained possession, but not without great slaughter. At the sequel of their attack, the tirailleurs of Davoust's corps opened their fire in the rear of the Russian line, and Augerau proposed to execute his part of the plan, to pierce the centre of the Russian line, which, in that case, (as Davoust was in the rear,) must have been infallibly destroyed; but at this critical moment a heavy fall of snow enveloped both armies in a dazzling obscurity. Augerau's division wandered from the point of attack; the connection between the different corps of the French army was lost, and its columns became insulated.

At this awful crisis Napoleon and his army were preserved from utter ruin by a brilliant charge of cavalry under the Duke of Berg, supported by the imperial guard. The Russian infantry, which had advanced to surround the column under General St. Hilaire, were repulsed with great slaughter; and the battle, which had raged with the greatest fury from five o'clock in the morning until late in the evening, was now restored. The possession of the church-yard and church of Eylau was contested on both sides with the greatest obstinacy; but at length the appearance of Davoust's corps in the rear of the Russian line, compelled them slowly and deliberately to retire. Thus ended the murderous battle of Eylau, in which, and the preceding action, the French boasted that the allies

had lost nearly 30,000 men, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, and 45 pieces of cannon; while their own loss in the action was diminished to 7000 men.

General Benningsen claimed an important victory; but geographical evidence did not support his pretensions, as, after the battle, he retreated to a considerable distance behind the river Pregel. Indeed, both generals were foiled in their principal aims. Benningsen's plans entirely miscarried, as he was obliged to relinquish all the country between the Vistula and the Pregel. The projects of Napoleon to surround and destroy the Russian army, and capture their magazines, had also only partially succeeded: Koningsberg, the great depôt of the Russian army, being effectually covered, and his own troops so enfeebled by losses in the field, and the extreme rigour of the climate, that he was in no condition to resume offensive operations.

After the battle of Eylau, no great operation was attempted on either side. The French army slowly withdrew, assuming a semicircular position, for the purpose of covering the siege of Dantzic. The head-quarters of Buonaparte were at Finkenstein; a situation chosen at once to urge the siege and observe the enemy's line. Dantzic being at last closely pressed, an expedition by sea was attempted for its relief; but the promptitude of Napoleon disconcerted the design, the expedition failed, and the troops composing it were, for the most part, killed or taken prisoners. On 19th May the fortress surrendered. Vast quantities of military stores were found in it, and the army of Napoleon was reinforced not only by the troops which had been occupied in the siege, but also by an immense number of conscripts, who proceeded to him in safety from a distance of 700 miles.

Napoleon was now sincerely desirous of a continental peace, and made overtures during the siege to the Allied Sovereigns, which did not, however, lead to any result, although no attempt had been made by the allied army, which had also been powerfully reinforced, to arrest the fate of Dantzic. Yet no sooner

had it fallen, than it broke up from its cantonments, and assailed different parts of the French position, on some of which they were able for a time to make a serious impression. Napoleon, informed of these movements, quitted Dantzic, and repaired to the army, which he immediately put in motion, and directed to advance. Contrary to what might have been supposed the design of the Russian General, he retreated slowly, and in good order, followed by Napoleon, who entered Gadstadt on the 9th, and on the 10th found the Russian army stationed in advance of, and in the town of Heilsburg, a place which the Russians had carefully fortified during four months, in which they had deposited great magazines, and which they appeared resolved to defend. They possessed a force of 15,000 cavalry, and their rear was protected by 60 pieces of cannon. A warm engagement ensued, which lasted until a late hour in the evening, when the Russians were compelled to abandon their advanced position. The succeeding day (10th June) was devoted entirely to the reconnoissance of the enemy's line, and the arrangement of his own troops for the battle he anticipated on the 12th; but in the night, the Russians abandoned Heilsburg, and withdrew in the direction of Friedland and Koningsberg. Napoleon closely followed them, and divided his army into two bodies. The corps under the Duke of Berg, Soult, and Davoust, proceeded towards Koningsberg, while, with the remainder of his forces (excepting his right wing under Massena, then not engaged) Napoleon continued to pursue them.

On the 14th both armies arrived at this celebrated spot, when Benningsen resolved to hazard a battle. His position was strong, and covered by a deep ravine, a thick wood, and the town of Friedland. The greater part of the day was taken up by the French, in making their arrangements, and holding the Russians in check. At length, at five in the afternoon, the preparations being completed, the French began what may properly be called the battle, by an attack on the town of Friedland, by General Marchand's division. In this operation he was resisted by a large body of Russian cavalry,

but was opportunely assisted by the French dragoons under Maubourg, while a battery of 30 pieces of cannon restrained the advance of the Russians in this point. Benningsen then attacked the corps of Ney. The Russian troops charged several times with their wonted courage; but repulsed in each assault, many of the assailants were precipitated into the Aller, and there drowned.

After a bloody struggle, the French advanced to the works which surrounded Friedland, when they were suddenly attacked by the Russian imperial guards, cavalry and infantry, who had concealed themselves in the ravine before mentioned. So impetuous and well-timed was this charge, that the French columns long wavered, and the battle would probably have been lost but for the arrival of a part of the French reserve. These troops retrieved the fortune of the day. The Russian guards were defeated with great slaughter, and Friedland was finally entered by the French.

During these operations in the right wing of the French army, their left, under Mortier, advanced, and, after an obstinate resistance on the part of the Russians, penetrated into the ravine, where, protected by the nature of the ground, they sustained little comparative loss; and on debouching from thence, they were enabled to pierce the centre of the Russian line. No attack on the part of Benningsen upon Napoleon's centre could produce a diversion in favour of his gallant troops combating in Friedland. The Russians retired, and were pursued by the French until midnight. Napoleon asserted that the loss of the enemy on this occasion was from 15 to 18,000 men, and 80 pieces of cannon: 25 generals are reported to have been either killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. Those, however, who have had opportunities of becoming acquainted with the gross system of exaggeration pursued by Buonaparte in his bulletins, will qualify this statement very materially. The French loss was estimated by the same impartial calculator, at 3500 in killed and wounded; a statement, the total falsehood of which, must, under all circumstances, be sufficiently evident.

Notwithstanding his defeat, Benningsen, the next day, attempted to rally his forces; and the columns of the army that were cut off by the manœuvres of the French, endeavoured to cross the Aller, in which they partially succeeded. After the battle, the French army continued to advance, and the Russians to retire. On the 16th the three corps detached from the French army, entered Koningsburg, which was found to be no longer tenable, where they discovered immense magazines of every description, and a great number of vessels. On the 19th Napoleon arrived at Tilsit, the extreme point of the Russian frontier on the side of Poland, where an armistice was speedily concluded between the two armies, which left the King of Prussia only the town of Memel.

Before we close the history of this campaign, we must add, that the force under Massena, which had been stationed on the Bug, had advanced, and, after defeating that portion of the Russian army which had been opposed to it, had joined their comrades on the Niemen.

Negociations immediately commenced, and were prefaced by an interview between Napoleon and the Emperor Alexander, which took place in a raft on the river Niemen, in presence of both armies. The sovereigns embraced each other, and entered into the tent constructed for them on the raft. The interview lasted for two hours, at the end of which the most distinguished officers in the French and Russian armies were respectively introduced to Napoleon and Alexander. So cordial were the two monarchs upon this occasion, that a convention was entered into, by which the town of Tilsit was neutralized: Alexander and his guards occupied one part, and Napoleon, with his suite, the other. The unfortunate King of Prussia, to whom this new-born friendship boded no good, was admitted to their entertainments. In a disposition so materially conciliating, few difficulties could retard the progress of the negociation. In the early part of July, and within two days of each other, appeared the treaties between France and Russia, and France and Prussia.

The latter power offered her mediation between France and